When you are buying a new bed, one of the first real decisions you face is whether to go for storage. Not just which type of storage, but whether to bother with it at all. Storage costs more. Sometimes quite a bit more, depending on what you go for. So the question is legitimate: is it actually worth paying extra, or is it one of those upgrades that sounds useful in theory and ends up not making much difference in practice?
The honest answer is that it depends on your situation. But there is a lot to unpack before that answer is useful to you.
This guide walks through all three options, no storage, drawer beds, and ottoman beds, covering what each one actually gives you, what it costs you, and how to figure out which one makes sense for where you are in life right now.
First, Why Under-Bed Storage Gets Overlooked
It is worth starting here because most people, when they are buying a bed, are thinking about how it looks and how comfortable it is. Storage tends to be a secondary thought. You add it because it sounds practical, or you skip it because you are trying to keep the cost down.
But under-bed storage is genuinely one of the most efficient types of storage in any home. The space underneath a bed is large. A double bed, for example, sits over roughly 1.5 square metres of floor space. An ottoman storage bed turns nearly all of that into usable storage. That is the equivalent of a full chest of drawers, hidden completely out of sight.
In UK homes, where bedrooms are often not especially large and wardrobe space is frequently inadequate, that matters a lot. The question is not really whether storage is useful. The question is which type is right for you, and whether the extra cost is justified for your situation.
Option One: No Storage
What You Get
A bed with no storage is simply a bed frame, a headboard, and a base. The space underneath the bed is open, which means it sits on legs or a low platform with nothing beneath it.
This is the most affordable option, and it has some genuine advantages that do not always get mentioned.
The cost: Without a storage mechanism, the price of the bed is lower. If you are working to a tight budget, starting with no storage and spending more on a better mattress, for example, is often the smarter financial decision.
The look: Beds without storage tend to have a lighter, more open feel. If your bed sits on legs, light passes underneath it, which can make a room feel less heavy and more spacious. In smaller bedrooms, this can make a real difference to how the room feels.
The practicality: No mechanism means nothing to maintain. Ottoman beds have a gas lift that does wear over time. Drawer beds have runners that can occasionally stick or need attention. A basic bed frame has neither of these issues.
When No Storage Makes Sense
No storage works well if you genuinely have enough storage elsewhere. If you have a large wardrobe, built-in storage, or a spare room where things can go, adding storage to your bed may not solve any real problem.
It also makes sense if your priority is keeping costs down without compromising on the quality of the bed itself or the mattress. Spending the money you save on storage on a better mattress is a trade-off that is absolutely worth considering. You sleep on the mattress every night. The storage is a bonus.
And it makes sense if you prefer the look of a lighter, more open bed, particularly in a smaller room where a solid storage base can feel a bit heavy.
Option Two: Drawer Beds
What You Get
Drawer beds come with pull-out drawers built into the base of the bed. At Sleepwell Furniture, you can choose between two drawers on one side or four drawers, two on each side.
The drawers are accessible without lifting the mattress. You just pull them open, which makes them ideal for things you need to get to regularly.
Two Drawers vs Four Drawers
Two drawers on one side is the more affordable option. The drawers sit on one side of the bed, which means you will naturally access them from that side. This works well if the bed is positioned against a wall on one side, because you simply make sure the drawers face outwards. You get a decent amount of storage for things like spare bedding, pillows, and clothing, without the cost of a full four-drawer setup.
Four drawers doubles the storage capacity and means both sides of the bed have accessible storage. This is the better option for couples where both partners want their own storage space, and it makes more sense in rooms where you can walk around both sides of the bed comfortably.
One thing worth thinking about: drawers need room to open. If your bed is in a position where one side is close to a wall or a wardrobe, you will want to make sure the drawers on that side can actually be pulled out properly before you commit.
The Practical Advantages of Drawer Storage
The main advantage of drawer beds over ottoman beds is easy, everyday access. If you use what is stored under your bed regularly, you do not want to be lifting a mattress to get to it. Drawers are quicker, simpler, and better suited to items you rotate through frequently, spare bedding you swap seasonally, gym kit, clothing you do not wear every day but do wear regularly.
Drawer beds also tend to look slightly more traditional. The visible drawer fronts give the base of the bed a more structured, furniture-like appearance, which suits some bedroom styles better than a completely flat ottoman base.
The Limitations of Drawer Storage
The storage capacity in drawer beds is less than in ottoman beds. Drawers have a fixed depth and width, and the runners and mechanisms take up some of the available space. You will not be fitting suitcases or large seasonal items in most drawer beds.
Option Three: Ottoman Beds
What You Get
An ottoman bed has a gas lift mechanism that raises the entire mattress and base upwards from the foot end of the bed. Underneath, you have access to a large, open storage compartment that runs the full length of the bed.
At Sleepworld Furniture, the ottoman beds are foot-lift only, meaning they open from the end of the bed rather than the side. This is worth knowing before you decide where the bed will sit in the room: you need enough space at the foot of the bed to lift the base fully upward and reach inside comfortably.
There is also the divan ottoman option. This looks from the outside like a bed with two drawers, but it is not a drawer bed. The fronts are sectioned panels, and when you lift the mattress from the foot end, the compartment inside is divided into two sections. It gives you the clean, furniture-like exterior of a drawer bed with the full storage capacity of an ottoman underneath.
How Much Storage Does an Ottoman Actually Give You?
Significantly more than drawers. Where a drawer bed might give you two or four reasonably sized storage compartments, an ottoman bed gives you the full footprint of the bed as a single open space. In a double bed, that is typically enough to store two to three large suitcases, multiple sets of bedding, seasonal clothing, spare pillows, and more.
This is a real difference, not a marginal one. If storage is the primary reason you are upgrading, ottoman is almost always the better choice in terms of sheer capacity.
The Gas Lift Mechanism
The gas lift is what makes ottoman beds feel effortless to use. The pistons do the heavy work, so even with a larger mattress on top, lifting the base should feel smooth and manageable. It is worth knowing that over many years of daily use, gas lifts do eventually lose some of their strength, but for most people this is not something that becomes a real issue within the normal lifespan of a bed.
A good quality gas lift mechanism should feel solid and controlled when you lift it, not loose or stiff.
The Budget Factor: How Much More Does Storage Actually Cost?
This is a fair question and one that should be part of the decision.
Storage adds cost to the bed. The more storage, the more it adds. Ottoman mechanisms are generally more expensive than drawer systems, and four drawers cost more than two.
But the way to think about the cost is not simply as an extra expense. It is worth comparing what you would pay for the same amount of storage elsewhere. A decent chest of drawers in the UK costs anywhere from 150 to 400 pounds or more. A wardrobe with extra shelving costs more still. If adding ottoman storage to your bed replaces the need for any of those pieces, the upgrade cost starts to look very different.
The other thing to consider is the space you free up. In a smaller bedroom, removing a chest of drawers because your bed handles that storage means the room becomes noticeably larger and easier to live in. That has a real quality-of-life value that is worth factoring in.
If budget is tight but storage is important, two drawers is a good middle ground. It adds meaningful storage without the full cost of a four-drawer or ottoman setup, and it gives you easy access to what is stored there.
Side by Side: Which Option Is Right for You?
Here is a straightforward way to think about it.
Choose no storage if: You have good storage elsewhere in your bedroom or home. You are prioritising spend on a better mattress. You prefer the look of a lighter, leg-visible bed. You want to keep costs down without compromising on the bed frame itself.
Choose drawer beds if: You want easy, everyday access to what is stored under the bed. You are a couple and want accessible storage on both sides. The foot of your bed is close to a wall and you cannot easily open an ottoman. You want the look of a more traditional, furniture-style base.
Choose an ottoman bed if: You need maximum storage capacity. You have a lot of bulky or seasonal items that need somewhere to go. Your bedroom is lacking storage and you want to free up floor space. You do not mind lifting the base occasionally to reach what is inside.
Choose the divan ottoman if: You want the full storage capacity of an ottoman but prefer the cleaner, drawer-front appearance on the outside. It is a good option for people who want the practicality of an ottoman without the very flat, minimal look of a standard ottoman base.
A Few Things Worth Remembering Before You Decide
Do not choose storage just because it is there. If you genuinely have enough storage in your home and you are adding a storage upgrade out of a vague sense that it might be useful, save the money and put it toward something you will actually use.
Do think about where the bed will sit in your room before choosing ottoman. Measure the space at the foot of the bed and make sure there is enough clearance to open it properly.
Do consider the matching storage box option if you are going for a fabric ottoman bed. It makes the whole piece feel more considered and adds extra storage on top of what the base provides.
All Sleepwell Furniture beds come with free UK delivery. If you also want the bed assembled, there is an assembly service available so you are not left with a pile of parts and an instruction booklet on delivery day.
Final Thoughts
The storage upgrade question does not have a universal answer, but it is rarely a decision you will regret if you think it through properly. More often, people regret not adding storage than regret adding it.
What matters is matching the type of storage to how you actually live. Drawers for easy daily access. Ottoman for maximum capacity. No storage when you genuinely do not need it.
Get that right and the extra cost, whatever it is, tends to feel completely worth it within the first few months of owning the bed
